Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) Archives
CPTnet
September 1, 2000
NEGUAC, NEW BRUNSWICK: CPTer William Payne appears in court
On August 31, Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) member William Payne appeared
in Neguac court on behalf of CPTer Father Robert Holmes and himself. Both
had been charged with "obstructing a fishery officer who was carrying out
his duties under the Fisheries Act (section 62)."
Payne asked the court to have the proceedings translated into Mi'kmaq as the
matter is related to the Mi'kmaq fishery and as there were many people in
attendance in the court room who speak Mi'kmaq as their first language.
Judge Lordon said that he would ask the Justice Department if they can
provide a Mi'kmaq translator. The matter was held over until September 7,
2000, at which time a date will be set for trial.
Holmes (64 years old), a Catholic priest and a member of the Congregation of
St. Basil, is a retired secondary school principal. For the last six years
he has overseen the formation of those interested in the priesthood. He was
in ESGENO'PETITJ (Burnt Church, N.B.) earlier this year and is presently
part of the CPT team in Hebron, West Bank, in the middle-east.
Payne (36 years old), a secondary school teacher presently on leave of
absence from his teaching responsibilities, is a full-time member of the CPT
corps. He has been part of the CPT team that has been in ESGENO'PETITJ for
several months this year. Payne has also been part of the CPT team in
Chiapas, Mexico for three rotations since August 1998. Both men are from
Toronto, Ontario.
Members of the CPT New Brunswick team currently include Joel Klassen
(Kitchener, ON), William Payne (Toronto, ON), Janet Shoemaker (Goshen, IN)
and Lena Siegers (Blyth, ON). CPT has come by invitation of the people of
ESGENO'PETITJ to accompany the First Nations people as they struggle for
respect and for the recognition of their aboriginal right to fish.
_______________________
Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) is a violence reduction initiative of the
Mennonites, Church of the Brethren, and Quakers.
Main office: P.O. Box 6508, Chicago, IL 60680 Tel: (312) 455-1199 CPT
Canada: P.O. Box 72063, 1562 Danforth Ave., Toronto, ON M4J 5C1 Tel: (416)
421-7079